Astronomers Create Bowie Tribute Constellation

That starman who recently went home again like a more sexually active ET has had a special astrological tribute set up to him by his fans on earth, with a group of astronomers creating a Bowie lightning flash constellation.

Assembled by the Stardust for Bowie initiative, it's the Aladdin Sane cover pic face flash made real by joining those white dots of the night sky. Philippe Mollet from the MIRA Observatory said: "Referring to his various albums, we chose seven stars — Sigma Librae, Spica, Alpha Virginis, Zeta Centauri, SAA 204 132, and the Beta Sigma Octantis Trianguli Australis -- in the vicinity of Mars."

Mars tends to move around the sky a bit, so we don't even need to DM Brian Cox to know that last bit is a load of nonsense, but still. It makes a pretty picture and would be a good bit of art to steal and print out as a poster.

We're not entirely sure how constellations get officially recognised and added to the encyclopedias since it used to be the job of the Greeks and Babylonians, so suspect this one might only be an unofficial one -- like the massive cock and balls shapes that are drawn inside most school atlases of the heavens. [Standard]